Shirt garment with hidden button

ABSTRACT

A garment having a collar, the garment comprising: a placket, extending the length of the garment and having spaced apart first and a second buttons substantially nearer to the collar than a third button; wherein a portion of the placket intermediate the first and second button comprises a fly-front placket hiding an intermediate button therein; and wherein a remaining portion of the placket is not a fly front placket.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No.15/369,780, filed Dec. 5, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/084,382, filed Nov. 19, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No.9,538,791, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Business casual is an increasingly viable mode of dress. For most,business casual includes a button down collared shirt or blouse. The topbuttons of these garments are often left unsecured, so as to leave openthe collar area for a more casual appearance, even while wearingbusiness attire.

However, often times, the placement of the buttons on the garment arenot custom to the wearer. This may lead to an uncomfortable situation.If the wearer is too buttoned up—i.e. one too many buttons arebuttoned—he/she may project the appearance of being uptight or stuffy.If the wearer is too buttoned down—i.e. one too few buttons arebuttoned—he/she may be seen as sloppy. This is particularly troublesomewhere being too buttoned down exposes an inappropriate amount of chesthair or cleavage. But, if one were to simply add more buttons to a shirtor blouse, the resultant look would be aesthetically unpleasing simplydue to the excess number of buttons.

It is therefore desirable to provide garments having hidden intermediatebuttons between the topmost exposed buttons that will permit wearers tobe optimally unbuttoned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A collared shirt is described herein that overcomes the limitationsnoted above.

The collared shirt has a placket with spaced apart first and a secondbuttons, wherein a portion of the placket intermediate the first andsecond button is a fly-front placket for hiding an intermediate button.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following more detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way ofexample, the principles of the presently described apparatus and methodof its use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

Illustrated in the accompanying drawing(s) is at least one of the bestmode embodiments of the present invention. In such drawing(s):

FIG. 1 illustrates a garment according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a garment showing a hidden portion of a placketaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a three-button polo shirt according to an embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 4 is another illustration of the three-button polo shirt accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a four-button polo shirt according to an embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 6 is another illustration of the four-button polo shirt accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The above described drawing figures illustrate the described inventionin at least one of its preferred, best mode embodiment, which is furtherdefined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinaryskill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications towhat is described herein without departing from its spirit and scope.While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understandingthat the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification ofthe principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broadaspect of the invention to the embodiment illustrated. Therefore, itshould be understood that what is illustrated is set forth only for thepurposes of example and should not be taken as a limitation on the scopeof the present invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary garment 10 in accordance with at leastone preferred embodiment.

The garment (for example, a shirt or blouse) comprises a collar 20 and aplacket 40 extending therefrom, permitting a user to don the garmentwith substantial ease. Preferably, the placket extends the entire lengthof the shirt, but it may also extend only a portion of the shirt.Indeed, in embodiments where the placket extends only a portion of theshirt, it is preferable that the placket extends the upper portion ofthe shirt, as defined by the user's chest area while in use.

The placket comprises a top piece 42 that overlays a bottom piece 44,the bottom piece having a plurality of spaced apart exposed buttons 46for removably engaging correspondingly spaced apart button holes 48 ofthe top piece. Thus, the top and bottom pieces may be disengaged so thatthe user may easily don the shirt, and then reengaged to close theshirt. In some embodiments, the collar may also include one or morecollar buttons 22 and corresponding button holes 24. Importantly, theexposed buttons and the collar buttons, when engaged with theirrespective button holes, are exposed through the button holes of the toppiece and therefore are plainly visible to an observer.

The plurality of buttons includes at least a first and a second button,and corresponding button holes. The first button is the button locatedclosest to the collar, while the second button is the next closest.Neither the first nor the second button is located on the collar.

As shown in FIG. 2, the placket further comprises a hidden portion 50located between the first and second button holes and consisting of afly-front for concealing an intermediate button 56 when the shirt isclosed. In some embodiments, the intermediate button has a diameter thatis less than the diameter of the first and second buttons.

Preferably, the hidden portion consists of the top piece 52 (42)overlaying an intermediate piece 51 between the first and second buttons(or button holes) so as to form a pocket therebetween. A hidden buttonhole (not shown) is preferably located on the intermediate piece forremovably engaging the intermediate button. However, the top piecepreferably lacks a corresponding button hole for the intermediate buttonand therefore covers the engaged hidden button from view. The top andintermediate pieces may overlay the bottom piece 54 (44), which includesthe intermediate button, so as to permit the intermediate button toengage the hidden button hole as described herein. In at least oneembodiment, the hidden portion does not extend beyond the first andsecond button holes and is located solely therebetween.

In some embodiments, only a single hidden portion 51 is provided. Thehidden 51 portion may be located at the mid-point between the first andsecond buttons 46, and may consist of a strip of placket material (i.e.,the intermediate piece 51), preferably cloth, affixed at eitherlongitudinal ends 61 and 62 to the inner surface of the top piece.

Turning to FIG. 3, a three-button polo shirt 100 in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention is shown. The polo shirt 100 caninclude either long or short sleeves and can be made of the followingmaterials: 100% cotton, 95% cotton/5% spandex, 96% cotton/4% spandex,92% polyester/8% spandex, and/or 94% polyester/6% spandex. The poloshirt 100 includes a collar 110 and a collar button 120 located on thefront of the shirt 100 just below the left collar opening. The poloshirt 100 further includes a placket, having a bottom piece 125 and toppiece 126, that runs a portion of the length of the shirt 100, longenough to accommodate a first button 130 below the collar button 120,and a second button 140 located below the first button 130. In oneembodiment, the second button 140 is located approximately 3.75 inchesfrom the first button 130, on the bottom placket 125, measured at thecenter of each button. Further, the second button 140 is locatedapproximately 1.75 inches above the seam 150 of the placket pieces125/126, which is located just above the end 160 of the placket 125/126.Each button on the bottom placket 125 may have a corresponding buttonhole on the top placket 126. For instance, collar button 120 may have acorresponding button hole located at 122. The first button 130 has acorresponding button hole 132 located on the top placket 126. Likewise,the second button 140 has a corresponding button hole 142, also locatedon the top placket 126.

As with the previous embodiment, there's also a hidden button 135 foroptimal wear, hidden in between the first button 130 and second button140. Turning to FIG. 4, what is shown is the three-button shirt 100 withthe hidden button 135 revealed. The hidden button 135 is located onbottom placket 125, in between the first button 130 and second button140 at approximately the midpoint. Further, the hidden button 135 issmaller in size than the first button 130 and second button 140. On thetop placket 126, there is a hidden placket strip 137, that forms abutton hole 138 for the hidden button 135. The hidden placket strip 137has ends that are attached underneath the top placket 126. Note that thehidden button 135 could be located underneath the top placket 126, andthe hidden placket strip 137 could be attached to the bottom placket 125in alternative embodiments. This attachment could also be in the form ofVelcro, snap button, and other types of fasteners.

Turning to FIG. 5, a four-button polo shirt 200 in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention is shown. The polo shirt 200 caninclude either long or short sleeves. The polo shirt 100 can includeeither long or short sleeves and can be made of the following materials:100% cotton, 95% cotton/5% spandex, 96% cotton/4% spandex, 92%polyester/8% spandex, and/or 94% polyester/6% spandex. The polo shirt200 includes a collar 210 and a collar button 220 located on the frontof the shirt 200 just below the left collar opening. The polo shirt 200further includes a placket, having a bottom piece 225 and top piece 226,that runs a portion of the length of the shirt 200, long enough toaccommodate a first button 230 below the collar button 220, a secondbutton 240 located below the first button 230, and a third button 270located below the second button 240. In one embodiment, the first button230 is located approximately 60 millimeters from the collar button 220on the bottom placket 225, measured at the center of each button. Thesecond button 240 is located approximately 50 millimeters from the firstbutton 230. Further, the third button 270 is located approximately 50millimeters from the second button 240 and approximately 33 millimetersabove the seam 250 of the placket pieces 225/226, which are located justabove the end 260 of the placket 225/226. Each button on the bottomplacket 225 may have a corresponding button hole on the top placket 226.For example, collar button 220 may have a corresponding button holelocated at 222. The first button 230 has a corresponding button hole 232located on the top placket 226. Likewise, the second button 240 has acorresponding button hole 242. Finally, the third button 270 has acorresponding button hole 272.

As with the previous embodiment, there's also a hidden button 235 foroptimal wear, hidden in between the first button 230 and second button240. Turning to FIG. 6, what is shown is the four-button shirt 200 withthe hidden button 235 revealed. The hidden button 235 is located onbottom placket 225, in between the first button 230 and second button240 at approximately the midpoint. Further, the hidden button 235 issmaller in size than the first button 230 and second button 240. On thetop placket 226, there is a hidden placket strip 237, that forms abutton hole 238 for the hidden button 235. The hidden placket strip 237has ends that are attached underneath the top placket 226. Note that thehidden button 235 could be located underneath the top placket 226, andthe hidden placket strip 237 could be attached to the bottom placket 225in alternative embodiments. This attachment could also be in the form ofVelcro, snap button, and other types of fasteners.

The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over theprior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of atleast one aspect of the invention and to the achievement of the abovedescribed objectives. The words used in this specification to describethe instant embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense oftheir commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition inthis specification: structure, material or acts beyond the scope of thecommonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in thecontext of this specification as including more than one meaning, thenits use must be understood as being generic to all possible meaningssupported by the specification and by the word or words describing theelement.

The definitions of the words or drawing elements described herein aremeant to include not only the combination of elements which areliterally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts forperforming substantially the same function in substantially the same wayto obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is thereforecontemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements maybe made for any one of the elements described and its variousembodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or moreelements in a claim.

Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person withordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expresslycontemplated as being equivalents within the scope intended and itsvarious embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later knownto one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scopeof the defined elements. This disclosure is thus meant to be understoodto include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what isconceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and alsowhat incorporates the essential ideas.

The scope of this description is to be interpreted only in conjunctionwith the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that the namedinventor believes that the claimed subject matter is what is intended tobe patented.

What is claimed is:
 1. A shirt having a collar, the shirt having a length and a placket extending at least a portion of the length of the shirt, said placket comprising: a bottom piece with an attached collar button, an attached first button spaced apart from the collar button and below the collar button, and an attached second button spaced apart from the first button and below the first button, wherein the collar button, first button, and second button are substantially the same size; and; a top piece that substantially overlays the bottom piece when worn, wherein the top piece defines a first button hole that corresponds to the first button and a second button hole that corresponds to the second button, wherein the bottom piece further comprises at least one intermediate button located in between the first and second buttons, the at least one intermediate button being smaller than the collar button, first button, and second button, and wherein the top piece further comprises a single hidden intermediate piece comprising a strip of placket material having first and second longitudinal ends, each of the first and second longitudinal ends being affixed to an inner surface of the top piece in between the first and second buttons, the intermediate piece and the inner surface of the top piece forming a pocket there between, wherein the hidden intermediate piece defines at least one intermediate button hole to receive the at least one intermediate button.
 2. The shirt of claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate button is located at a midpoint between the first and second buttons.
 3. The shirt of claim 1, wherein the shirt is a polo shirt and the placket has a seam below the second button.
 4. The shirt of claim 3, wherein the collar button has a corresponding collar button hole.
 5. The shirt of claim 1, wherein the shirt is a polo shirt with a third button below the second button and the placket has a seam below the third button.
 6. The shirt of claim 1, wherein the shirt is made of at least one of the following materials: 100% cotton, 95% cotton/5% spandex, 96% cotton/4% spandex, 92% polyester/8% spandex and 94% polyester/6% spandex. 